THE BENNETTS' WEDDING (The Bennett Family and the Masters Family Book 5)

by Brenda Jackson

  Haddison looked from one man to the other. “She’s not legally obligated to tell us anything about her plans for employment when she leaves here, and if she chooses to become self-employed, that’s her prerogative.”

  He paused a minute and then added, “However, I understand your concerns and will keep an eye on her.”

  Yes, he would definitely be watching Kennedy Bennett, but not for the reasons they’d suggested. It seemed to him that Whitworth and Matthews had it in for Kennedy. And to make sure his uncle’s company wasn’t involved in any unnecessary lawsuits, he’d make it a point to keep these two under his intense scrutiny.

  Without saying anything else, he walked out of Whitworth’s office.

  KENNEDY TOOK ANOTHER SIP of her tea. She enjoyed this café, especially the table where she was sitting. It gave her a good view of the Mississippi River where she could see boats of all shapes and sizes moving along the waterway. Her father had always owned a boat, and she could remember her parents taking her out on this same river when she was a child. They were memories she would cherish forever.

  After her mother passed away, it had just been her and her father. As a commercial airline pilot, he was away from home a lot during the week. However, on the weekends, she was his top priority. He’d kept the tradition going, and they would spend hours on the river. Although she’d missed her mother’s presence, she’d enjoyed being out on the water with her father immensely.

  She couldn’t help but smile when she thought of her dad. When he’d heard about the bank robbery, he had immediately flown to St. Paul to make sure that she was alright. Once a daddy’s girl, always a daddy’s girl, she guessed. Once he was certain she was okay, he’d questioned her about Charles.

  Michael Bennett was concerned that Charles’s duplicity would affect how she viewed men, in general. She was honest in telling her father, although several months had passed, it was too soon to tell. Granted, she hadn’t dated since her breakup with Charles, but she honestly didn’t think it was because of what Charles had done. She blamed all the overtime she’d been putting in at Rivers. Working late into the night and often on weekends, even from home, made her too tired to do anything else.

  Right now, her main focus was on getting another job so she could return to living a normal life. Her father was quick to remind her that he was willing to invest in her venture, if she decided to go into business for herself.

  “May I join you?”

  She recalled that deep, masculine voice from this morning and glanced up into Haddison B. Wolf’s eyes. Her stomach clenched and potent desire sliced right through her. She forced oxygen into her lungs. Being this attracted to a man she’d just met mere hours ago was crazy. Totally. Absolutely. Utterly crazy. Yet, here she was, doing the same thing she’d done that morning—staring dumbly into the face of what had to be the most gorgeous man she’d seen in a long time. Possibly ever.

  “Absolutely,” she finally found her voice to say. “I just got here a few minutes ago.” The waitress had taken her drink order, and she’d been checking out the menu. “I see you’re having a late lunch, as well.”

  He nodded as he sat down. “Yes. I got caught in an unscheduled meeting.”

  She smiled. “That happens, unfortunately.” And why was she staring at his hands as he grabbed the menu out of the table rack? She’d noticed them this morning when he’d handed the folder back to her. He had nice hands — strong and sturdy-looking. She’d once read that a woman could tell a lot about a man from his hands, and it hadn’t had anything to do with his genitalia. The article had claimed that the length of his fingers could tell you if he would treat his woman well, or even whether or not he was the marrying kind.

  Her roommate from college, Cheryl Hansberry, had believed in those sort of things, much as Kennedy believed in her daily horoscope readings. Since Cheryl had snagged a man with perfect hands, and the two had been happily married five years now, maybe there was some truth in that.

  “Thanks for sharing your table.”

  She moved her focus from his hands back to his face, and then wished she hadn’t. A smile curved his lips and that smile, combined with those mesmerizing eyes, nearly rendered her speechless. She forced her mouth to move and said, “You’re welcome.”

  He studied the menu, and while sipping her tea, she studied him. All she’d gotten this morning was a quick glimpse of him. Now, she had the opportunity to take a less-hurried assessment and she was enjoying every moment of it. He had bedroom brown eyes, a pair of sculpted cheekbones, a bearded, chiseled jaw, and lips that had a sensuous curve to them. Some men had it in the looks department and some didn’t. Those who didn’t could sometimes make up for it in other places — like a nice body, nice hands, sexy voice… But Haddison B. Wolf? He had it all. Every base covered.

  “So, what do you suggest?”

  She blinked. He had lowered his menu and probably caught her checking him out. Maybe she should feel embarrassed, but she wasn’t. He was a man. She was a woman. And there was that annoying thing known as the ‘law of attraction’. “Their turkey sandwiches are good,” she finally said, hoping he thought the reason for her delay in answering was because she’d been thinking about his question.

  He nodded and the smile curving his lips widened a fraction more. “I think I’ll try one. I like turkey.”

  Kennedy was tempted to ask him just what else he liked. Returning the smile, she said, “Then that’s something we have in common. I like turkey, too, Mr. Wolf.”

  “Please, call me Haddison.”

  Kennedy had no problem doing that — most people around the office preferred being called by their first name. Except for Larry, who’d miraculously become Mr. Matthews after his promotion. “And I’m Kennedy.”

  “Kennedy…umm. That’s unique. I like it.”

  And she liked the way he pronounced her name. It lacked the southern twang she was used to from her family, but had an ultra-sexy tone to it. “Thanks. And you can thank my great-grandfather, Papa Henry, for my name. There’s a story behind it.”

  “And what’s the story?”

  She took another sip of her tea, before saying, “Papa Henry is from the deep South, and he asked my parents to let him name me after the Kennedys. At the time, they were a prominent Democratic family whose name, at least, in a lot of elderly black folks’ minds, was synonymous with fairness and justice for all. Especially those blacks from the South who’d struggled through the civil rights movement like Papa Henry had.”

  “I’m glad your parents agreed to let him name you.”

  “Me, too. When I was younger, I was always the only Kennedy around. Now, the name has become pretty popular, but I still think of myself as one of the first.”

  He chuckled. “That’s an honor you should be proud of.”

  She smiled. “And I am.” After taking another sip of her tea, she asked, “Where are you from, Haddison?”

  “Los Angeles. What about you?”

  “I was born here in St. Paul and lived here until I was thirteen. Then my father, who is a commercial airline pilot, changed companies and went to work for a private company. We had to relocate to Atlanta.”

  Kennedy figured there was no reason to add that her dad changing companies was not the only reason they’d relocated. The main reason he’d taken the job in the first place had been because of her — and her wild ways. He’d seen the job change and relocation as a way to give her a fresh start by separating her from the bad crowd she’d hung around with in St. Paul, as well as introduce her to family she hadn’t been close to.

  “I like Atlanta.”

  His words drew her attention, not that it had ever wavered off of him. Even with her thoughts elsewhere, he had definitely remained within the scope of her vision. “I like Atlanta, too. I have a lot of family there, and in Macon,” she said.

  “I envy you. I was an only child and longed to be a part of a large family.”

  She heard genuine regret in his voice. “A large fa
mily has its positives and its negatives, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love my family because I know that no matter what, they have my back. We might fight amongst ourselves, but I feel sorry for the person who tries to come between the Bennetts.”

  At that moment the waitress came to take their order.

  Just like the first time Haddison laid eyes on Kennedy Bennett during the bank robbery, she was getting to him. He wasn’t sure what there was about her that turned him on, practically arousing the male element within him, but it was happening and he couldn’t stop it.

  When he’d walked into the café and saw her sitting alone, he’d been tempted to walk back out and find another place to eat. But something had propelled him forward, as if they were two magnets that had to be connected. The next thing he knew, he was standing at her table, asking to join her.

  She not only had a pleasant voice, but she was also a great conversationalist. He liked that about her. And the boldness he’d admired in her that first time they’d met now lurked beneath professionalism. However, there was no doubt in his mind that if something rubbed her the wrong way, her true nature would reveal itself.

  He just couldn’t buy into Matthews’s and Whitworth’s suspicions about her. Especially since, unless she was doing something underhandedly, no laws were being broken. When she’d been hired, she had signed a non-compete agreement, which stated if an employee left the company, they could not establish business with any of Rivers’ clients for a period of twenty-four months. Unless she broke that contract, she was free to do as she pleased. He wanted to believe she wouldn’t jeopardize her professional reputation by breaking the law.

  Didn’t Matthews and Whitworth know the terms of her contract? It would likely be the same for everyone in her department. So why were they so worried about her leaving? There had to be a reason…and he intended to find out what it was.

  “So, how do you like working at Rivers so far?” she asked, breaking into his thoughts.

  He shrugged. “It’s okay, but I know Theo will be a tough act to follow. I understand he was here with Mr. Rivers from the first. All the employees knew him and he knew them. I’m not as openly friendly as he was. Already I can tell some employees are disappointed.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about it,” she said, finishing off her sandwich. “You are who you are. Rivers is a great place to work and you have a job to do. There is no doubt in my mind you will do it well.”

  “Thank you. I’ll ask how well you think I’ve done five years from now, if I’m still around,” he said, taking a sip of his lemonade.

  She chuckled. “There’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll still be around. Unfortunately, I won’t.”

  He’d deliberately thrown that line out there to see if she would tell him anything. Now was his opportunity to dig deeper — to see if she suspected Whitworth or Matthews of any wrongdoing. “You sound certain of that.”

  “I am. I turned in my resignation this morning.”

  He raised a brow in a pretended act of surprise. “Why? Earlier you said you thought Rivers was a great place to work.”

  “I do. Let’s just say it’s time to move on. My last day is a month from now.”

  “I’m disappointed. And just when I was counting on seeing you around the office.”

  She smiled, then reached out and touched his hand. “Who knows? Our paths might cross again, even after I’m gone.”

  Was she hinting that she was hoping for that possibility? Sounded like it to him, but at the moment, the only thing he was certain about was the intense heat sizzling through him from the inside out.

  He knew it was unlikely their paths would ever cross once she’d left the company. Good thing he didn’t intend to wait that long.

  “Are you single, Kennedy?” he boldly asked. Although she wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, she might be involved in a serious relationship.

  “Yes, I am. But I don’t really date much.”

  “Why?”

  If she thought his inquiry was getting a little too personal, she didn’t show it. She shrugged her beautiful shoulders beneath her jacket. “A number of reasons. The main one is work. I’ve been too busy to date. The second is a little more personal. I was with Charles for almost a year, and we planned to get married. Only, I never expected to walk in on my fiancé in bed with another woman. That stung a bit.”

  Haddison couldn’t help but appreciate her honesty. Few women would admit to being betrayed in that way. But then, there might be a reason she was telling him about it. Was she letting him know that she had trust issues? What woman wouldn’t, after catching her fiancé in the act?

  “What about you, Haddison? I’m sure you date a lot.”

  No, he didn’t. Because of his undercover work, it had been years since he’d gone on what he considered a real date. All those other women had merely been bedpartners to relieve his physical stress of living a life on the edge.

  “’No, I don’t. Working as an FBI agent was time consuming. I’m hoping now that I have a regular job, I’ll be able to have a social life.” What he’d just told her was the truth. He’d just failed to mention his undercover work.

  “I’m sorry that guy betrayed you like that,” he added. “What an ass. You’re probably a hell of a lot better off without him. At least you found out what kind of guy he was before the wedding, instead of after.”

  “That’s what my family tells me.”

  “Believe them.” He paused again and then said, “The reason I asked about your status is, well, I’m pretty new to the area and would like to take you out. Since you’ve lived here a while, maybe you can show me around.”

  She smiled, and the way it slanted across her lips kicked up his pulse a bit, made him feel edgy. Everything about her reminded him of how long he’d been without a woman. “Sounds like you need a tour guide, Haddison.”

  Now it was his time to smile. “No, I need the company of a beautiful woman whom I feel comfortable talking to. A beautiful woman whose company I enjoy. A beautiful woman I want to get to know better.” And that was the truth. She was a beautiful woman, and he desperately wanted to spend time with her.

  She didn’t say anything, but held his gaze for a moment. Under her scrutiny, the primal urges of his body kicked in at the thought of them spending any amount of time together. A deep attraction had grown between them, and they both knew it, felt it, and were currently breathing it. He didn’t understand it, and doubted she did, either. But they only had two options. They could ignore it, and hope it went away, or act on it and see where it took them. He wondered which it would be.

  “Hand me your phone, Haddison.”

  Without asking why she wanted it, he pulled his phone out of the pocket of his jacket and handed it to her. Then he watched as she punched in a number. When he heard her phone ring, he knew what she’d done. “Now you have my phone number,” she said, handing his phone back. “And you, Haddison B. Wolf, are welcome to call me at any time.”

  “YOU ACTUALLY TOLD A man he could call you at any time? What gives, Ken? That is so unlike you,” Monica Bennett said, as the four cousins gathered at their favorite Italian restaurant later that evening.

  Kennedy wished the waitress would hurry up and deliver the food to their table. Actually, she wished she’d kept her mouth shut. But the truth of the matter was that she’d made the announcement to see what sort of reaction she would get. Just as she figured, her cousins thought she should have her head examined. She agreed with them. Almost. If they ever saw Haddison, they’d understand her temporary lack of sanity.

  When she didn’t respond quick enough, Victoria asked, “Why would you give any man that much power over you?”

  Power over her? “It’s not that serious, guys.”

  “But you gave him carte blanche over your cell phone,” Monica said.

  “Come on, guys. We’re here for Victoria’s birthday, not to get into Ken’s business,” Sebrina said. Kennedy appreciated Bree’s distraction, although sh
e knew her cousins wouldn’t be getting into her business had she not put it out there.

  “Goody, here comes the food. I’m starving,” Monica said excitedly.

  Kennedy was glad the waitress chose that moment to appear with their dinners.

  “How are things going at the hospital, Bree?” she asked, trying to change the subject.

  The three listened as Bree talked about what was going on at St. Paul General, including which nurses were sleeping with which doctors. At one time, Kennedy had considered going into medicine, but had quickly changed her mind when she’d had to dissect a frog in her biology class. After that, she left her choice of career up in the air, until she had to decide on a major her second year at college.

  The rest of the evening was low-key, as everyone kicked back and enjoyed celebrating Victoria’s twenty-eighth birthday. Kennedy, who’d also made the reservations, had called ahead to order an assortment of macarons. Victoria had been stuck on anything French since spending time in Paris during her college years.

  “Tell me about him,” Sebrina said, after Monica and Victoria left for the ladies’ room.

  Kennedy glanced over at her cousin and smiled. “There’s not a lot to say, other than I think he’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. He was hired as head of security a few months ago. I’d heard women all over the office raving about him, but I hadn’t seen him for myself until today. We bumped into each other. Literally. Then we ran into each other at lunch and dined together. He’s hot.”

  Sebrina chuckled. “You’ve met hot men before.”

  Kennedy smiled. “Yes, but he’s different. And about ten years older than me.”

  “You’ve never dated guys that much older than you before.”

  “I know. But maybe, he’s exactly what I need, a more mature man. Haddison takes being hot to a whole other level for me. And we have chemistry. I’ve never been attracted to anyone, so intensely and so quickly.”

  “Umm, what about that bank robber?”

  Kennedy didn’t say anything for a minute. Sebrina was the only one she’d told about her feelings for the bank robber. “It’s just as powerful, though I think it’s even stronger because there’s no fear involved. In fact, when I looked into Haddison’s eyes today, they reminded me of the robber. And no, I’m not getting the two confused.”